E. Dundee cop charged with felony in Wisconsin

Michael Seyller, an East Dundee police sergeant facing criminal charges in Carpentersville and jailed in Kane County, now faces a felony battery charge in Wisconsin.

Seyller, 39, has been charged with substantial battery after he broke another man's nose and knocked out his two front teeth during a March 1 bar fight in Wisconsin, according to the Adams County District Attorney's Office.

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According to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, Carpentersville Police Sgt. Mark Brandts was with Seyller during the fight and tried to hold back both men. Brandts has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Carpentersville Director of Public Safety Al Popp said the altercation warrants a closer look.

"Obviously we'll be following it up on our end to find out what Mark's level may or may not have been," Popp said Friday afternoon. "We'll dig into it with Mark and we'll move forward."

According to the sheriff's report, Adams County deputies responded to a fight at Dellwood Pavilion in Quincy Township, which is two hours north of Milwaukee.

Seyller, 39, approached the deputies, identified himself as someone who had been in the fight and gave an officer his Illinois drivers license and his police identification card from East Dundee.

"Michael stated to me, 'You better look at both identifications I gave you,' " the report said. "Michael later stated he was a sergeant with the police department. I advised Michael that I was more concerned about what happened and not where he worked."

East Dundee Police Chief Terry Mee said he stripped Seyller of his police authority more than six months ago pending the results of an internal investigation into Seyller's off-duty conduct that Mee will not discuss. Seyller, who joined the force in 1999, is on paid administrative leave and on disability leave after suffering an injury while off duty.

According to the sheriff's report, Seyller said an intoxicated man approached him in the bar and Seyller told him to leave him alone. At one point the man, identified as Rafal Gbur, used his shoulder to push Brandts out of the way and was moving quickly toward Seyller. Fearing the man was about to hit him, Seyller threw the first punch and hit him in the mouth. The man fell on the ground and the two began fighting inside the bar, and the fight eventually moved outside.

According to a summary in the police report that reviewed the video surveillance, Brandts "grabbed (Gbur) from behind in a double arm bar, and held him away from (Seyller). (Seyller) then came back to Gbur and punched him again, when his hands were restrained behind his back. (Seyller) reapproached Gbur multiple times after they were separated and continued to hit him. (Seyller) also swung at Gbur when there were other people between he and Gbur. (Brandts) attempted to hold (Seyller) back, but (Seyller) continued to attempt to hit Gbur."

Seyller was left with small cuts on his face. Gbur, 37, whose address was not given, was charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer, according to the sheriff's office.

Adams County Sheriff Sam Wollin said the video also proves Seyller was less than truthful with the police.

"The information that Seyller presented wasn't accurate. The man was provoking him but at one point ... there was some separation and (the fight) didn't need to go to the extent that it did," Wollin said.

The criminal complaint was signed Tuesday and Seyller's court date is June 4.

Seyller was being held since Wednesday on $100,000 bail after being charged with domestic battery in Carpentersville.

He is also facing a felony weapons charge because he is accused of brandishing a shotgun while on a Carpentersville street. He turned himself in on that charge two weeks before his domestic battery arrest.

Mee said he learned of the Wisconsin altercation Friday afternoon and that the department is weighing its options.

"This newest charge will absolutely be factored into the developments pertaining to his continued employment," Mee said.

Popp says Brandts, who was hired in 1998, should be careful about the company he keeps.

"I don't know who he associates with and who he doesn't, but I would be disappointed that he's not exercising better judgment in his personal life," Popp said. "I have a high expectation of everybody who works in the Carpentersville police and fire department. On its face, it certainly sounds like it could be disappointing."

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